Twelve things you should know about diabetes, one of Hawaii’s most widespread diseases.

Edited by Wimmie Wong Lui

Diabetes is one of the most serious, common, and costly diseases in Hawaii and across the United States. In 2009, about 8.5 percent of Hawaii’s population, or about 113,000 individuals, had diabetes. An estimated one-third of people with diabetes are not aware that they have it.

Diabetes is a group of diseases characterized by high blood glucose (sugar) levels that result from defects in the body's ability to produce or use the hormone insulin. The most common form of diabetes is type 2 diabetes, in which either the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin. 

So sugar isn’t always sweet. Here’s what you need to know:

1. Someone in the world is diagnosed with diabetes every 20 seconds. Each year, 1.9 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes.
2. In the next 24 hours, diabetes will claim the lives of 200 people, making it deadlier than breast cancer and AIDS combined.
3. Over 20,000 Native Hawaiians in our state have diabetes. Native Hawaiians have the highest diabetes mortality rates, followed by Filipinos and Japanese.
4. Direct medical expenses for people with diabetes average nearly 2.4 times that of those without diabetes.
5. Early detection of diabetes symptoms and treatment can lower your chances of developing diabetes complications. Symptoms include frequent urination, unusual thirst, extreme hunger, unusual weight loss, extreme fatigue, frequent infections, and blurred vision.
6. Making just a few small changes in your lifestyle can help prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes.
7. Unhealthy cholesterol levels can raise your risk for type 2 diabetes. Check your levels at least every five years.
8. Being overweight raises your risk of type 2 diabetes and many other health problems. Losing just 10 to 15 pounds can make a big difference.
9. High blood pressure raises your risk for diabetes and other conditions. To help reduce blood pressure, work with your doctor, eat more whole grains, reduce salt intake, manage your weight, limit alcohol consumption, and stop smoking.
10. Staying active helps keep your blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol in check and lowers your risk for pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes. 
11. Smoking causes a lot of problems in your body. Quit now!
12. Learn more about diabetes and how to fight it by visiting the American Diabetes Association's website.
    

Source: American Diabetes Association